batavia

A convicted criminal in Pembroke was allegedly found in possession of four handguns during the execution of a search warrant at his residence Wednesday.

Members of Local Drug Enforcement Task Force were assisting Batavia PD detectives with the search at a home on Allegheny Road when the guns were allegedly found.

The original reason for the search warrant or why it was a Batavia PD case was not released.

Charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, a Class D felony, is 59-year-old Frederick J. Hensel Jr.

Hensel has a prior criminal conviction, according to the Sheriff's Office, and did not have pistol permit.

Hensel was arraigned in Darien Town Court and jailed on $25,000 bail.

For the second time today, a white male wearing a tan, possibly white, shirt and shorts entered the McDonald's restaurant in Batavia and yelled at patrons not to eat their food. Police are responding.

Alleged intruders are inside the former Laughing Buddha tattoo parlor and reportedly trashing the store and/or throwing things around inside, says a caller to the emergency dispatch center. A rep from building owner Mancuso Properties is en route along with city police.

The store is located on Ellicott Street in the City of Batavia.

An officer on scene reports there are two people inside. An officer asks dispatch to contact former store operator Jason Lang.

UPDATE 10:09 p.m. (by Howard): Free-lance journalist Alecia Kaus went to the scene. It appears there was a misunderstanding over a display counter inside the former store. Another business owner claims he still owns the counter and was removing it. The property owner showed up and wouldn't let the person remove the counter. Authorities were unable to contact Lang to help resolve the issue, so the property claim is being held over until tomorrow.

Ready, set, go! Join the 5K Run/Fun Walk starting at 6:15 Saturday afternoon to benefit Donald R. Carroll's Toys for Kids program. The 5K is in conjunction with historic Downtown's Summer in the City.

All proceeds help make Christmas wishes come true for disadvantaged children in our community.

Check out the Web site at DonCarrollrace.com to register online. The first 75 entries get a T-shirt.

Preregistration is $20. High school students pay $10 (no shirt giveaway). On race day, registration is $25 and you can register from 3 to 6 p.m. at Bank and Main streets near the Senior Center.

The course is certified to be accurate by USA Track & Field ( #NY06914KL). The Start Line (6:15 p.m. SHARP) is Main and Bank by the Senior Center. The Finish Line is there also.

Trophies will be awarded to the best overall male and female; and first-, second- and third-place trophies by age category. There will be no duplicate winners.

Afterward, there will be a 31st Anniversary Party Extravaganza, free for all participants with race numbers, and guests are welcome for a $5 donation. The party will feature music and dancing, chicken BBQ, turkey dogs, yogurt, freshly sliced fruit, ice cold water, and a beer coupon.

Sponsors of the event are:

• T-Shirts, Etc.
• Southside Deli
• That Taco Place
• Wortzman Furniture
• Jerry Arena's Pizzeria
• Center Street Smoke House
• Clor's Meat Market
• Amputee Treatment Center
• Max Pies Furniture
• Grace Baptist Church
• The Insurance Center
• Coffee Culture
• The Enchanted Florist
• Downtown Batavia Business District
• Lays Potato Chips
• The Batavian

At Summer in the City this Saturday, United Memorial Medical Center will have a Health Fair featuring free health screenings, giveaways, raffles, refreshments, information and more.

It will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. under the tent at Cary Hall, located at 211 E. Main St. -- near the car show.

Bring your kids and grandkids!

Jeremy Newman of WBEE 92.5 will have a live remote broadcast from 2 to 4 p.m.

The free health screenings offered are for blood pressure, blood glucose, total cholesterol. Also, men's prostate health checks will be available from 2 to 4 p.m.

Community partners for the event, which will be there with giveaways and information, are:

• Genesee County Sheriff's Office
• Genesee Veterans Support Network
• Community Action
• County Department of Health
• Lovey's Imagination Station
• UMMC Infection Prevention
• Summit PT and OT
• UMMC Cardiac Rehab
• UMMC Foundation
• Healthy Living
• Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center
• Maternity
• Fidelis Care
• Dr. William Guthringer
• GC Office for the Aging
• VNA of WNY
• NYS Public Service Commission
• Genesee ARC
• Jerome Senior Apartments
• Cornell Cooperative Extension
• MVP
• GCASA
• Homecare and Hospice
• Dr. Irene Burns
• Allergy Advocacy Association
• Justice for Children Advocacy Center
• ProcAir and UMMC Sleep Services
• Crossroads

A two-car accident with a minor injury -- reportedly neck pain -- is reported at West Main Street and Porter Avenue in the city. City fire and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 2:39 p.m.: City fire is back in service. One patient was transported to UMMC.

Press release:

With the construction of Batavia Downs Casino’s new LED sign, pieces of the old neon sign are now available to interested parties. Batavia Downs Casino has already given two letters to representatives of the Holland Land Office Museum of Batavia, but other letters still remain.

Interested persons should contact Tom Balk, director of Building and Grounds for information on obtaining remaining pieces. It should be noted that the letters are over 7 feet tall and in various states of disrepair having been on the roof for so long. Mr. Balk can be reached at (585) 343-3750, ext. 312.

During a routine patrol Wednesday members of the Local Drug Enforcement Task allegedly spotted two women in a car in a parking lot on West Main Street Road, Batavia, ingesting a controlled substance.

Upon approaching the car, task force members allegedly found the women in possession of a quantity of oxycodone.

Charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, were (name redacted upon request, charge dismissed), 19, of Colonial Boulevard, and Julie A. Huntoon, 20, of Jackson Street, Batavia.

Kimberly Dawn Moore, 45, of South Main Street, Warsaw, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Moore was stopped at 1:34 p.m., Saturday, on Ellicott Street, Batavia, by Deputy Brian Thompson and Officer Eric Hill. Moore was found to allegedly be in illegal possession of hydrocodone. Also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance was Jon Hoyt Bush, 29, of Oak Orchard Road, Batavia.

Kyle K. Shultz, 18, of Norton Road, Elba, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08, failure to keep right, open container, mobile phone use in a motor vehicle. Shultz was stopped at 6:14 a.m., Saturday, at Byron Road and Fotch Road, Stafford, by Deputy Brian Thompson. Shultz allegedly had a BAC of .16.

Redfield Parkway, one of the City of Batavia's historic neighborhoods, has changed quite a bit over the years.

Photo provided by Jim Owen

Above is a picture from 1912, when it was first founded by Charles A. Williams (former Genesee County Sheriff and mayor of Batavia) and his then-partner, David Garrett.

Jim Owen, a Redfield resident known as "the mayor" to some of his neighbors, is part of the committee organizing the "100th Anniversary Redfield Parkway Program" on Saturday.

Other members are Linda Conroy, Kathy Owen (Jim's sister, who lives with him), Tricia Clark, Lori Wendt, Julie Mancuso, Jane Johnson, Lisa MacDonough and Alicia Kaus.

There will be a ceremony that is free and open to the public from 1 until 2 p.m. on Saturday. Sunday is the rain date. It will include:

• Music by the Batavia High School "Blue Bells"
• Proclamations by Assemblyman Stephen Hawley, Senator Michael Ranzenhofer, City Councilman Pierluigi Cipollone, City Councilman-at-Large Jim Russell, County Legislator Ed DeJaneiro Jr. and possibly Congresswoman Kathy Hochul (who is a former student of Owen's)

Wayne Fuller of WBTA will be the Master of Ceremonies.

Owen looks forward to celebrating Redfield's heritage with his neighbors and fellow Batavians.

"From an historical point of view it's neat to find out where we came from," he said.

At 1:45 p.m., a time capsule will be dedicated. Made by Redfield resident Rick Wendt, it will include news articles, a DVD of photos from Saturday's event -- to be made by Redfield resident Alicia Kaus -- a current phone book, literature on the street's history and much more.

Owen said the tentative plan is to bury it near the pillars, with a stone made by Derrick Monument Co. of Le Roy marking the spot.

Copies of local historian William F. Brown Jr.'s book "The Story of Redfield Parkway: The Beginning" will be available for purchase for $5 from Owen.

Redfield Parkway: A quick history

Photo from Brown's "The Story of Redfield Parkway: The Beginning"

Redfield Parkway was named in honor of the family of Heman Redfield, a local politician, lawyer, landowner and one-time Le Roy Postmaster. His home, according to Owen, was where Batavia's Valu Plaza is located today.

Redfield was born in Connecticut on Dec. 27, 1788, but he lived in Genesee County for most of his life. A member of St. James Episcopal Church, he served as a warden and vestryman. He also helped build St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Le Roy.

He was elected to the New York State Senate in 1823, serving with Attorney General Martin Van Buren (before he became the eighth president of the United States).

A War of 1812 veteran, he fought at the battle of Queenston Heights at age 24.

On July 22, 1877, Redfield died at age 89. According to literature provided by Owen, his funeral procession was the longest in the history of Batavia at that time. He is buried in the historic Batavia Cemetery on Harvester Avenue.

He had 12 children, and his family owned the land where Redfield Parkway now stands until 1912.

A postcard of Redfield Parkway from the 1940s. Photo provided by Jim Owen.

Redfield Parkway was a private street until 1928, at which point it became part of the City of Batavia. It has existed in its present state since 1966, when the last house was built.

Over the years, it distinguished itself not only by its beautiful flower beds, but also by the row of American flags running down the street's median. Appropriately, the flags would eventually lead the way to the Batavia VA Medical Center (they were stolen, but Batavia Downs is supplying new ones).

The Owens

Photo provided by Jim Owen

Owen and his sister are lifelong Redfield residents. Their parents, Frank and Natalie (pictured), bought the house in 1930 and the adjacent land in 1945. They bought the land from Edna Gruber, who was Batavia's "most famous madam" and well-known for her local charitable work.

Interestingly, 2 Redfield is technically 4 Redfield (anyone who drives by and looks closely will see that although the house has a "2" on it, the house right next door is 6 Redfield).

The vacant space to the right of the house is 2 Redfield. The Owens had lived at 4 Redfield for 15 years by the time they bought this space, so they just gave the same number to the whole property.

Here is a photo of the real 2 Redfield, a garden well tended by Kathy.

Celebration of a heritage

People can learn more about these and other stories on Saturday.

"(Our neighborhood) has a tradition that's been carried on for 100 years, and I hope it continues," Owen said.

To that end, he added that the neighborhood will be making an effort to save the pillars at the parkway entrance in the near future.

"They're 100 years old, and the mortar is coming out," he said.

At this point, the pillars are owned by the city. Owen said the repairs will cost about $16,000, and they are hoping for a grant.

For more information and for any updates, visit the Redfield Parkway 100th Anniversary page on Facebook.

Heman Redfield trivia

• Redfield's daughter, Jane, was said to have been the first woman to cross Niagara Falls in a basket;
• Some people trace his ancestry to the Mayflower;
• His grandfather fought under General George Washington at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War.

A 19-year-old male has suffered a head injury in a dirt bike accident at Area 51. Mercy medics, a Sheriff's deputy and firefighters are responding. The track is located on Harloff Road in the Town of Batavia.

City police went on a brief foot chase that started by the courthouse to catch a white male allegedly observed rifling through vehicles and "possibly in possession of stolen items." He is wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and a hat. He's now been tracked down in the ARC parking lot on Walnut Street.

He was on a bike at first but ditched it in the weeds behind the courthouse.

UPDATE 2:27 p.m.: He's being taken back to the courthouse. He allegedly is in possession of "items commonly found in the front seats of passenger vehicles," says on officer, "change, cigarettes, electronic items." They are going to meet up with owners of the vehicles allegedly involved and interview them.

UPDATE 2:32 p.m.: "There are some silver coins -- dimes and nickels -- strewn about here," says an officer searching the grounds of the courthouse. They've also found some other property  -- a camera and other items -- that were possibly stolen.

Workers today are installing the first two silos at the new Alpina Products plant in the Genesee Valley Agri-Business Park, Batavia.

The first silo is 40 feet tall and will hold up to 20,000 gallons of raw milk. The second silo is half the height and will hold 12,000 gallons of whey.

More silos can be added as the capacity of the Greek yogurt plant increases.

More pictures after the jump (click on the headline to continue):

Duane Leo was honored by the Batavia City Council on Monday night for his 25 years and two months service to the city as a water and wastewater maintenance worker.

Press release:

In keeping with its policy to provide the residents of the City of Batavia with the maximum amount of information allowed by law regarding registered sex offenders residing in the City of Batavia, the Batavia Police Department is now posting the exact address information of New York State Level 2 Registered Sex Offenders.

The New York State Corrections Law now provides for the posting of exact address information in regards to New York State Level 2 Registered Sex Offenders by local law enforcement agencies. Previously, local law enforcement could post only the exact address of Level 3 offenders.

Batavia Police Department continues to provide information regarding Level 1 offenders, but by law is only allowed to post an approximate address by Zip Code.

Batavia residents are encouraged to frequently view the Local Sex Offender Web site at www.batavianewyork.com for the most current and real-time information regarding registered sex offenders residing in the City of Batavia.

Residents are also encouraged to sign up for NY –Alert – Sex Offender Relocation Email Alerts, provided by the New York Division of Criminal Justice Services at: www.criminaljustice.ny.gov.

It's time for the State Legislature to pass legislation dealing more forcefully with the rise of synthetic drugs in New York, Batavia City Council members said on Monday.

City staff will draft a resolution for the council to vote on at its next meeting, encouraging Albany to expand the penal code to make the manufacture, sale and possession of designer drugs a crime with the same penalties as any other controlled substance.

Some on council wanted to know why the city couldn't enact is own tough, local law, but City Attorney George Van Nest explained that's easier said than done.

"The state has determined that this should be addressed under state law," Van Nest said. "There's that issue, that if the city chose to go above and beyond that, it would be preempted by state action.

"There's also a matter of complexity," Van Nest added. "As the materials indicate, this is a very complicated matter. For city staff to sit down and to try and draft and articulate a statute that's going to stand up in court, withstand challenge, is not going to be an easy undertaking."

Last week, the governor's office announced an emergency order banning the sale and possession of a wide range of synthetic drug compounds, including substances that act like controlled substances.

But breaking this law is only a violation. The maximum criminal penalty under the law is a $500 fine and 15 days in jail.

Councilwoman Rose Mary Christian noted that DEA agents seized about $750,000 from the reported owners of The 420 Emporium chain in raids on July 25, which is quite a bit of money compared to a $500 fine.

Incorporating sale and possession into penal law would mean defendants could face a year in jail for a misdemeanor or several years in prison for a felony conviction (depending on the how much of the substance a defendant possessed).

City Manager Jason Molino shared a report with council members that said from around May 1 (the approximate date The 420 Emporium opened in Batavia) until July 25 (when the DEA raided the store (and it's been closed since)), Batavia PD handled 35 to 40 calls for "bath salts" related incidents.

Since July 25, Batavia PD has handled no such calls.

During the course of those three months, seven individuals were identified as alleged bath salt users.

"That doesn't mean there couldn't have been more, but we didn't have contact with them," Molino said.

"Bath salts" has become a generic name for a range of products that, despite their "not for human consumption" labels, are often snorted, injected or inhaled in order to provide the user with a stimulant-type of high or hallucinations. The chemicals used have nothing in common with substances commonly added to hot water to provide a relaxing bath.

Because the manufacturers of these chemicals change the compounds as quickly as state and federal officials can ban them, it will take a more comprehensive piece of legislation from Albany to effectively deal with the synthetic drug trade in New York.

Starting at 7:30 a.m., Saturday, the streets of Downtown Batavia, will start closing so vendors, classic car owners, food stands and musicians can start setting up for Summer in the City.

Main Street will be closed in both directions from Court Street to Liberty Street. Court, Jackson, Center and Bank streets will all be closed.

For a map of closures and locations of Summer in the City attractions, click here (pdf). For more detail on closures, click here (pdf).

Robert P. Leiser Jr., of Lockport Road, Oakfield, is charged with assault, 2nd, and criminal contempt, 1st. Leiser was allegedly involved in a domestic incident July 24 at his residence. Leiser allegedly struck a female in the head with a flashlight. The woman required medical treatment. Leiser was allegedly under court order not to have physical contact with the woman. He was located in the City of Batavia, arrested, and jailed on $15,000 bail.

James A. Klotzback, 35, of Rochester, is charged with assault, 2nd. Klotzback was arrested by State Police for an alleged incident reported at 9:18 a.m., Wednesday, in the Town of Byron. No further details were released.

Summer Ogden, 36, no permanent address, is charged with trespass. Ogden is accused of being on 400 Towers property after allegedly being previously told by police and management that she was barred from the property.

Morgan B. Mikolajczyk, 18, of 328 S. Jackson St., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Mikolajczyk is accused of pushing a family member during an argument.

Jessica R. Johns, 29, of 122 Jackson St., Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Johns allegedly possess marijuana while a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped on Jackson Avenue for an alleged traffic violation.

Cory J. Endres, 18, of 400 B Island Cottage Road, Rochester, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Endres was arrested Thursday by State Police for an alleged incident reported June 9 in the Town of Darien. No further details released.

Daniel H. Bettilyon, 51, of Hamlin, is charged with felony DWI and felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Bettilyon was stopped by State Police at 1:24 p.m., Friday, on Maltby Road, Oakfield.

Emily Ann Lane, 22, of Corfu, is charged with petit larceny. Lane allegedly stole $51.94 in merchandise from Kmart.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Fire Department will be flushing fire hydrants on Wednesday, Aug. 15 and Thursday, Aug. 16 at approximately 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the general area south of West Main Street and west of Jackson Street. Homes and businesses nearby will be affected. These tests may result in a temporary discoloration of water in that area. As in the past, please do not attempt to wash any clothing if your water appears discolored.